"The biggest reason for Brooks' Ubuntu inclination isapplication availability. If there's a piece of Linux-supportingsoftware that you want to run, there's a good chance that it's beenpackaged up in a ready-to-install format for Ubuntu Linux. What's more,of all the operating systems he's used or reviewed, Ubuntu offers thebest set of tools for acquiring, installing, updating and removingapplications."

We announced IBM Cient for Smart Work in India today at Lotusphere...This is all around ECOSYSTEM build out...1. Simmtronics, top 5 memory manufacturer in the world announced global agreement that ships ICSW on their Simmbooks in India, USA, and many other countries worldwide..2. In partnership with Canonical (primarily) and with Red Hat on a selective basis3. Academic Initiative center of excellences with 3 engineering colleges in the state of kerala4. ZSL announced Powercube DaaS in India, Africa, USA5. Zyxware, IBM and Canonical business partner piloting ICSW in Technopark in Kerala http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/29205.wss

"many companies, government agencies, and educational institutions canchuck at least some of them. Those based on XP -- or Windows 2000,which still has a huge installed base in government agencies -- canlook to big savings on licensing, hardware, and training costs."

1. Canonical (Ubuntu) and RedHat added to the Windows Client competitor list.2. "Netbooks opened Microsoft to the possibility that some other OS could
get its grip on the desktop, however briefly," said Rob Helm, director
of research for Directions on Microsoft. "Now it's alert to that
possibility going forward."
3. Concerned about OEM partners, HP and Intel supporting Linux on their PCs..

Reduce costs, lower TCO, <1year ROI?

Here is the Liberate - Migrate - Virtualize recipe

Liberate:

- free up money in IT budget by taking alternate procurement strategy: http://www.ibm.com/software/info/liberate - more than 600 companies have freed up $3.5B over the last 3 years by executing this strategy

"Under the Open Source, Open Standards and Re–Use: Government Action Plan the UK government will specify requirements by reference to open standards and require compliance with open standards in solutions where feasible.1 The government indicated it will support the use of ODF. It will also work to ensure that government information is available in open formats, and it will make this a required standard for government websites."

Seventeen national and eight provincial governments around the world have now officially endorsed ODF for document exchange.